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1915Thanhouser CompanyOne reelDrama

In a Japanese Garden

No copy you can watch online. No print is known to survive. What follows is what does: the release, the cast, the story, and what the trade press said at the time.

The story

“An American boy falls asleep over a miniature Japanese garden on his table, and dreams a strange and horrible dream of old Japan. Mimi San is the daughter of Loco San, a Japanese noble, stern and unyielding as the ancient Samurai clan from which he is sprung. His servant and informant discovers Mimi in the arms of a young American lieutenant in the garden. In the ancient code of that country for a young woman to go to her lover unattended, meant death. Loco abides to the letter by the antique customs of his people. He causes Mimi and Lieutenant Arthur to be brought before him. Then, handing the girl the fatal knife of her ancestors, he commands her to take her own life. She obeys. The American, senseless from horror, is seized by Loco’s servants and put to sea in an open boat.”

Summary from Reel Life · 21 August 1915

What the papers said

1 review · 1 article

“This is a prettily produced picture. It is a story of dream inspired from toying with a miniature Japanese garden. The players in the picture are almost all Japanese, which gives an added charm to the pretty romance.” …

Read in full · 1 min

“This is a prettily produced picture. It is a story of dream inspired from toying with a miniature Japanese garden. The players in the picture are almost all Japanese, which gives an added charm to the pretty romance.”

Note: Did the writer of the preceding review see the end of the film?

The Moving Picture World · 28 August 1915

Article

15 August 1915The Morning Telegraph1 min

“When the Maida Imperial Dramatic Company arrived here after a long engagement at the San Francisco Exposition, George Foster Platt, the Thanhouser director, was at the pier to welcome the Japanese players. In Japan, Mr. Platt met the players, who for six successive seasons have been the favorites of the Mikado. While in Tokyo, Mr. Platt had ample opportunity to study the Japanese dramatic art, and since he heard that Mr. Maida was coming to these shores he laid plans to introduce them to the films. In this he succeeded, and soon they were marveling at the wonders of the New Rochelle studios. Mr. Thanhouser was particularly struck with the demure Miss Mitzu. The visitors finally accepted Mr. Thanhouser’s offer and they are now at work under Director Platt, who is well versed in Nipponese customs and folk-lore. The first release is In a Japanese Garden, scheduled for August 22. In this the Samurai code of obedience to the parent’s wish is tragically illustrated, and it is interesting that Mr. Maida, who plays the Samurai, is one of that honorable class in actual life. When little Miss Mitzu accepts the attentions of a young naval officer, played by George Marlo, her father simply hands her a dagger and she knows it means that she must commit hari-kari. No descendant of the Samurai dares hesitate to do an elder’s will, though it mean death.”

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Cast and crew

Cast
George M. Marlo
George Marlo as Lieutenant Arthur
Miss Mitsu as Mimi San, his daughter
Mr. Codi
Mr. Fuziwara
Mr. Maida
Mr. Taka
Mrs. Maida
The Maida Imperial Dramatic Company
Tochichi Kamada as Kia, a servant

Every name opens that person's page, with each film they appear in and which of them you can watch.

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More about this film

Bowers’ notes
  1. This film was advertised as having “real Japanese actors and settings.” The Maida Imperial Dramatic Company had come from Japan to appear at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition held in San Francisco that year. 2. Miss Mitsu’s surname was spelled as “Mitzu” in Reel Life, August 21, 1915.

From Volume II: Filmography of Q. David Bowers’ Thanhouser Films: An Encyclopedia and History, reproduced with permission and unchanged. Read the history of 1915 →

Cite as: Bowers, Q. David. Thanhouser Films: An Encyclopedia and History, “In a Japanese Garden”. thanhouser.org/films/in-a-japanese-garden/

Where a print is held

Held by
No print known